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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27323803">We're Looking for the Sun</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thee_Maxwell/pseuds/Thee_Maxwell'>Thee_Maxwell</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Julie and The Phantoms (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Ghosts, Fluff and Angst, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 22:15:37</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,243</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27323803</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thee_Maxwell/pseuds/Thee_Maxwell</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Willie gazed up at Alex's beaming face, reflecting the emotion. They just looked at each other for a moment, before willie jumped up from his position.</p><p>"Can I teach you skating?"</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Alex/Willie (Julie and The Phantoms)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>139</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>We're Looking for the Sun</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Trigger Warning for self-harm and implied child abuse! There isn't anything explicit but it is mentioned in the story, and I want everyone to be able to stay safe. Self-harm is directly talked about, but child abuse is mentioned once and is let go, however, there are also some small mentions of child neglect. So if any of that is something that might affect you, please be cautious.</p><p>Okay, so, I had an idea for a cute story, and then had to make it angsty for like two seconds, so, sorry.  As always it's not beta'd bc no one I know will, so I hope it reads alright.</p><p>Title is from "Outlaws of Love" by Adam Lambert (giving me so many feelings. It's so good.) Y'ALL I UPDATED THE TITLE BC IT WAS LATE AND I NAMED IT WRONG WHOOPS</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Alex traced his fingers through Willie’s hair, mostly for fun, but also detangling it along the way. Willie’s head was resting lightly on Alex’s lap, rambling happily about something with his little sister. He was so animated when he was excited, and it always brought a smile to Alex. </p><p>-and I left the flower on her bed for her. I hope she liked it, but I couldn't stay. I had something else important to do." Willie gazed up at Alex's beaming face, reflecting the emotion. They just looked at each other for a moment before willie jumped up from his position.</p><p>"Can I teach you skating?" </p><p>"I wouldn't be able to even stand on the board, much less move on it." Alex laughed. Willie furrowed his face, putting his hand on Alex’s shoulder. "I'll make sure you're safe; you can trust me." He clapped the shoulder before turning and starting to walk out. </p><p>"I never said you wouldn't," Alex chased after him, "but I'm going to look incredibly stupid regardless." </p><p>"We all start somewhere! I guarantee that you didn't start on the drums and found yourself amazing at them immediately." He was already gone, probably 20 feet ahead of Alex and yelling. They were already in a park, so Willie was just leading him to a new spot. </p><p>Alex zoned out on the world when walking, focusing on Willie and Willie alone. He was so lucky that he was almost run over a few months ago that he almost forgot what happened to let them meet. But now he was just jogging away, stopping every once in a while to make sure Alex was still following; he was cute in a puppy sort of way. </p><p>He stopped in a somewhat large area of concrete, holding out his helmet. Alex had to hustle to catch up, but he grabbed the helmet with a sarcastic look and put it on purposely turned. "Is this right?" Willie rolls his eyes and slowly turns it to be facing the correct direction. He clapped Alex's face in his hands before saying, "you're lucky you're cute."</p><p>“Look who’s talking.” They shared a look before Willie put the board down and held out his hand for Alex to take.</p><p> “Alright, I got you. Just step up, and” he hoisted Alex up, “just stand there for two seconds.” Willie ran around behind him and grabbed his waist, pressing his chest against Alex’s back. It may have been a bit excessive, but why bother if he couldn’t tease Alex just a little bit.</p><p>“Okay, I’m gonna hold you and just guide you along, so you get the feeling.” Alex nodded, face very clearly red, and not making eye contact with Willie. And yeah, maybe this wasn’t a good way to teach Alex, but that wasn’t actually the point, so who cares.</p><p>He did back up from Alex; however, he kept his hands on his waist, slowly walking him sideways so that the blond could find some balance. “How are you feeling?” Alex gives a single nod. “Okay, good. I’m gonna just- oops.”</p><p>Willie “accidentally” let Alex go without being held on, which, of course, immediately resulted in him losing balance and tumbling off the board. He giggled while jogging over to help Alex up, who was glaring at him from his position on the concrete. </p><p>“You’re a dick; I hope you know that.” Alex laughed with him, however, and extended his hand for Willie to take. He stood up but tripped over nothing before finding footing. His right knee stung more than anticipated, and when he looked down, Alex was greeted with some broken pieces of concrete stuck in a decent-sized scrape, as well as a smaller one on his left leg. </p><p>“Ah, shit, I should have had you wear your pant extensions,” Willie smirked, making playful eye contact. “Too late for that now; let’s get you cleaned up.”</p><p>They ended up at the studio since it was closer than Willie’s house, and Alex’s was never a great place for both of them to be. Alex insisted on cleaning himself up since it was just a couple of scrapes, but Willie, the knight in shining helmet that he was, made Alex sit down on Luke’s couch while he got some soap and paper towels.</p><p>Willie was kneeling at Alex’s knees to get a decent angle on his injuries. He gently dabbed at them to just get the rocks out, but the towels proved wetter than intended. The water tickled as it dripped down, and Alex laughed at Willie, struggling to catch the falling droplets. “Hey, I’m gonna, uh,” Willie slowly pulled up the fabric of Alex’s shorts, looking at him for permission. </p><p>Alex, in his infatuation, just blushed a little and said, “You know, if someone were to walk in right now, they might think something else was happening.” However, he missed the purple and brown bruises that were being exposed. Willie paled, glancing back and forth between Alex’s face and his legs. </p><p>“Babe, did someone…?” He stopped at Alex’s face, which slowly turned from a joyous embarrassment to just shy of horror. “Oh my god, no, I just. Sometimes, if I’m home, I won’t have my drums with me, but I still want to drum, and I can’t be too loud because of my parents, so I just of just. Drum on my legs.” He mimed the action halfheartedly, showing Willie what he meant. </p><p>“Alex,” Willie grabbed his hand and tried to make eye contact, but Alex looked away. “I’ve seen you drum on your body before, and I’m pretty sure it never left marks like this.” He was rubbing small circles over the bruises he could, looking for any sign of discomfort. “Did your dad-?”</p><p>“No, he doesn’t even want to look at me. It’s not.” Alex’s voice was soft, wet, clearly being forced out. “I don’t know, sometimes the anxiety gets really loud, and if I don’t have my drums to drown it out, I go a little extra on myself. It’s not often.” </p><p>He finally looked at Willie. Really took a moment to look at the man, fearful that he might look at him with judgment or some other venomous emotion that might occur. Instead, he was greeted with watering eyes, a gentle look in them. “Thank you for telling me. You know you can talk to me about this stuff, right?” </p><p>Alex nodded, wiping his face with his palm. “Yeah, I do, I just, I’m already seen as the emotional one of my friends. And I know they care about me and would want me to talk about it, but I got used to hiding things. I just haven’t learned to open up, I guess.” </p><p>Willie, finishing up cleaning his knees, put bandages over what he could before sitting next to Alex. “I know it’s hard to open up, and you don’t have to, but you also don’t have to carry shit yourself.” Alex laced their fingers together and laid his head on Willie’s shoulder. </p><p>“I know. And I’ll try to. You do make it easy to spill all my secrets, even if I don’t mean to.” Willie could almost hear the smile as Alex talked. His heart fluttered as Alex nestled himself a little more into Willie’s shoulder. Alex squeezed Willie’s hand; it was warm and familiar. And it was unlikely he would get better immediately, but he was comfortable now, and that’s all he needed.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I apparently love to bully Alex, bc this and my last were focused on him suffering or whatever. But it's okay, bc I'm currently writing an angsty Reggie fanfiction bc why not. </p><p>ANYWAY thank you for taking the time to read when you didn't have to </p><p>(I'm also posting this at one in the morning after a stupid busy work shift so I might end up hating it. Who knows)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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